This invention relates to electrical connector housings having polarizing means and to an electrical connector assembly incorporating such housings and mounting panels therefor. The invention particularly concerns mating electrical connector housings for electrical connectors for making and breaking the supply of power to a drawer module containing circuitry of a power supply distribution unit, for example a computer, the power supply being made when the drawer is in a closed position and broken when the drawer is opened, for example when the module is to be serviced.
Connectors of the aforementioned kind, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,456, U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,144 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,133. In each case, a plug connector for connection to an external power supply, is provided with a pair of polarizing alignment members projecting forwardly of the mating face of the housing of the plug connector, each alignment member having a forwardly projecting tapered nose for engagement in a prospective keyway in a hood of a receptacle connector which is float mounted in the back panel in the drawer containing the module. In each case, the alignment members and alignment member receiving arcs are so arranged that the connectors could be mated in two opposite angular orientations if it were not for the fact that, the contacts of the connector are unsymmetrically arranged.